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| Experimental Analysis of Complex Human Behavior: Mediated Remembering, Higher-Order Response Classes and Response Restriction |
| Monday, May 31, 2004 |
| 10:30 AM–11:50 AM |
| Beacon D |
| Area: EAB/TPC; Domain: Applied Research |
| Chair: David W. Sidener (Western Michigan University) |
| Abstract: . |
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| A Behavioral Account of Remembering: Precurrent Behavior and Mediation of Matching to Sample |
| DAVID W. SIDENER (Western Michigan University), John L. Michael (Western Michigan University), James E. Carr (Western Michigan University), Anna I. Petursdottir (Western Michigan University) |
| Abstract: The mechanisms or processes by which learning or remembering occur are currently not well understood. Cognitive models posit that learning and remembering occur as information is processed via acquisition, storage and retrieval steps. However, these processes are hypothetical and not easily operationalized for purposes of research. An alternative approach to the study of these phenomena is to examine overt, observable behavior that may play a role in learning and remembering.The current research replicates Torgrud and Holburn’s (1989) study examining the ability of children to perform delayed matching to sample tasks. The purpose of this research is to determine whether specific tasks during the delay interval may help to facilitate children’s correct performance under larger intervals. The current study replicated findings that delays greater than a few seconds resulted in performance approximating chance levels and that performance of a stimulus-specific task during the delay interval greatly increased the ability of children to select correct comparisons after delays up to 15 seconds. Research participants were 6 typically developing 5 year-olds. IOA data were collected in 35% of sessions and ranged from 90-100%. |
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| Rule Governed Behavior as a Higher Order Response Class |
| PAUL K. BRANDON (Minnesota State University, Mankato), Mark S. Smasal (Private Practice) |
| Abstract: The concept of the higher order response class: a class of responses whose members are themselves classes of responses has been introduced to account for complex human behavior that is under stimulus control (often verbal) with no obvious reinforcement. A related concept is that of rule governed behavior: behavior that is controlled by erbal rules rather than by immediate reinforcement contingencies. At first glance the definition of the higher order response class appears clear. If a response is defined topographically there is no problem in assigning it simultaneously to two classes. However, behavior analysts prefer to define responses functionally, so to say that a given response belongs to two classes we must demonstrate functional control on both response levels. We have done this by systematically replicating the study by Hayes, Brownstein et al with adult human subjects that claimed to demonstrate control of human reinforcement schedule response by verbal rules rather than by reinforcement contingencies. By doing an interresponse time analysis of our data, we are able to show that human responding is simultaneously controlled both by verbal instructions and by immediate reinforcement contingencies. This validates the functional definition of a higher order response class, and thus demonstrates that rule governed behavior is itself a behavior controlled controlled by contingencies rather than a distinct category of behavior. |
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| An Application of Response Restriction and Contingent Access to Responses in Complex Multioperant Environments |
| JASON C. BOURRET (New England Center for Children), Timothy R. Vollmer (University of Florida), Luanne Witherup (University of Florida) |
| Abstract: Participants were 3 normally developing foster children between the ages of 9 and 14. All sessions were conducted in the children’s home. Interobserver agreement was collected during 48% of sessions and averaged 98%. Baseline data were collected on engagement in various activities in the home (e.g., watching television, playing pool, playing videogames, drawing, doing math, and reading). Academic and academic related activities (e.g., drawing, doing math, and reading) were targeted for increase. Restriction analyses were conducted in a series of sessions in which access to the most probable response in each previous session was restricted in a cumulative fashion. These data indicated that targeted responses may increase in likelihood when competing responses are restricted. One treatment involved restriction of certain high-probability responses in the home environment with any number of alternative responses concurrently available. This resulted in an increase in the targeted responses in the absence of superimposed reinforcement contingency for some participants. A second treatment involved providing contingent access to responses in the home. When highly preferred activities were provided contingent upon targeted responses, those responses increased to levels higher than when the contingent responses were restricted but no contingency was in place. These data speak to the effects of restricting access to responses and providing contingent access to responses in complex multioperant environments. |
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